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Quarterbacks guru George Whitfield: Landry Jones a first rounder

INDIANAPOLIS — Matt Ryan. Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones has drawn a comparison to the Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowler from quarterback guru George Whitfield, Jr., who tutored the former Sooners star for the

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INDIANAPOLIS — Matt Ryan. Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones has drawn a comparison to the Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowler from quarterback guru George Whitfield, Jr., who tutored the former Sooners star for the past seven weeks.

Jones threw for 4,267 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, completing 66.1% of his passes, as a senior in 2012.

Named after legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, Jones left Oklahoma as the Big 12's all-time leading passer with 16,646 career yards and is the only quarterback in college football history to have four years of at least 3,000 yards passing and 26 touchdowns.

"He's absolutely a first rounder, especially when you look at not only his class, but classes prior to this one,'' Whitfield told USA TODAY Sports at the scouting combine Friday. "I would say he's similar to Matt Ryan. Matt Ryan doesn't wear face paint; he's not going to fist pump and all that stuff; he's not going to head-butt his offensive linemen. He's cool, calculated.

"The Atlanta Falcons took a senior who played an awful lot of games at Boston College, and they hooked that wagon to him. Landry is a little bit bigger than Matt Ryan. ... (And) Landry is a master distributor.''

At 6-4, 225 pounds, Jones is more mobile than Ryan and worked with Whitfield to tighten and quicken his throwing stroke.

"I shortened my motion and worked on moving around in the pocket more,'' Jones said. "I'm here to show who I am as a person, and if a team likes me, they're going to draft me as a player and a person.''

Jones appeared poised and in charge during his combine interview before the national media. He met with Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whose team holds the draft's top pick, at the Senior Bowl and came away hoping he made the same impression on Reid that Jones left with about a coach with the reputation for polishing quarterbacks.

"He's an awesome coach, and it would be an honor to play for him,'' Jones said. "This is definitely a wide-open year. There's a lot of guys with a lot of talent. ... The further we get into this process, there's going to be somebody who puts himself ahead.''

Whitfield expects Jones to be that guy when the quarterbacks throw Sunday.

"Teams need quarterbacks,'' Whitfield said. "Everybody may try and kick dirt on this class. But there will be guys who come off the board in the first round. And Landry will be one of them.''

NFL prospects Justin Hunter of Tennessee, left, dunks a ball on the goal post with Jamal Miles of Arizona State as they work out at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., in preparation for this year's NFL Combine.
Chip J Litherland, USA TODAY Sports